1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of connector cables and accessories used together with portable electronic devices. More particularly, the present invention relates to the field of connector cable and accessories for interconnecting global positioning satellite (GPS) receivers and personal digital assistance (PDA) devices or cellular phones.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Generally, cables and accessories used together with portable electronic devices have been introduced in the art. For example, connectors and cables for powering a portable electronic device or cellular phone from a vehicle cigaret lighter or similar power source have been introduced in the art. In addition, various data cables used for interlinking portable electronic devices have also been introduced in the art.
Recently, personal digital assistance (PDA) devices such as Microsoft® Pocket PC™ or Palm® portable computers are widely used. In addition, small and compact sized global positioning satellite (GPS) receivers have also became more popular. One trend of a combined use of these devices is to connect a GPS receiver with a PDA and turn it into a personal mobile navigation system or mobile telematic systems.
In addition, some new cellular phones are designed and constructed with large display screens and more powerful processors, allowing the cellular phones to be used, in combination with a GPS receiver, as a personal mobile navigation system.
However, many PDA and cellular phone accessories and cables are designed to be used only with a particular type or model of PDA devices or cellular phones, without taking into the consideration of a combined use of a GPS receiver and a PDA device or cellular phone. Therefore, it is desirable to provide an integrated connection assembly for and a GPS receiver and a PDA device or cellular phone to provide mobile people with location sensitive information, to guide them to their destination effectively, and to provide faster assistance when they need help on the road.
Furthermore, new PDA devices are more likely to be equipped with or adapted to work with additional communication and/or data sharing devices, such as Compact/Flash cards or BlueTooth enabled devices. It is also desirable to provide a more complete and versatile connection solution or a suite of products for the communication and data-transfer between a GPS receiver and a PDA device (or similarly equipped cellular phone or notebook computer).